Phil Kay – Original Review
Note: This review is from 2001
As a completely freewheeling comic, a Kay gig can be one extreme or another.
Chortle has seen him storm a room, and with good reason, thanks to his energetic, spontaneous clowning. He does his highwire improvisation with no safety net, though, and with no material to fall back on the set has been known to fall embarrasingly.
That happened the night we last saw him. Kay failed to make any connection with the audience who sat mostly in bemused silence for well over two hours. It was a frustratingly meandering show, always threatening to be funny but rarely being so.
As the night wore on, the lack of structure, or indeed jokes, became increasingly tiresome and weary punters started drifting out.
When he bombs, he certainly does it properly. Let's hope he's as thorough when it comes to doing a good set.
Review date: 1 Feb 2001
Reviewed by: Steve Bennett